On the 7thof May this year the BBC reported a fire at a potato factory in Norfolk. Ninety fire fighters worked to tackle the blaze
which started at 18:00 hours on Friday. Although around fifty five people were working when the fire broke out, they were all successfully evacuated. No-one was injured in the fire, which is thought to have started in an industrial fat fryer.
In light of recent events, the question on everybody’s lips has to be, ‘what is a potato factory?’ We at Newsnibbles were under the
impression that potatoes were grown in the ground, and not produced in a factory. Although the general consensus around the office was that this is the case, since we want to be seen as a serious cutting edge news reporting organisation we decided to approach an outside source.
Scientist, Jenny Walford had this to say on the subject of potato factories:
“I have played Farmville for over a year now. As such I know that potatoes are in fact grown in the ground. I understand that real potatoes take a little longer to mature than the three days that Farmville allows, but in all other aspects the game is accurate. Therefore, in my view, a potato factory could be more accurately described as a field.”
As hardcore newshounds this inconsistency grabbed our attention. If potatoes are not actually produced in a factory then what does this seemly innocent factory produce? Potatoes must be a front for something more secretive.
Further investigation revealed that it in fact produced Aunt Bessie’s Home Roasts. Perhaps they can capitalise on this unfortunate incident and recoup some of their losses by selling blackened, chargrilled or caramelised potatoes.
We would like to suggest, however, that the BBC think about more accurately representing things in order that we do not waste our time in the future. “Fire at a factory which produces, packs and distributes Aunt Bessie’s Home Roasts” would have been just as catchy a headline. More importantly it would have been accurate. Here at Newsnibbles we pride ourselves on our journalistic integrity. If nothing else we hope this article has been informative.
Original BBC report available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-13320740
